Bess Hochstein reports from Williamstown.On Sunday, July 1, actor David Hyde Pierce took time off from Williamstown Theatre Festival, where he helms the current production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, to step into another familiar role, that of advocate for Alzheimer’s Disease awareness and research. Hyde was the main draw of Acting on Hope, a benefit luncheon for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter, held at Gala, the restaurant at The Orchards Hotel. Event organizer Karen Gold, who works with the Berkshire Alzheimer's Partnership (pictured at left with Pierce) joked that she had stalked the actor for six years before seizing on the opportunity of his WTF presence to ask if he would participate in a fundraiser. Pierce, whose grandfather, and possibly his father, had Alzheimer’s, readily agreed to lend a hand.
James Wessler, Marcia McKenzie, and Sherill Pineda, president of Care @ Home; Mark Gold, and Berkshire Community College's new president Ellen Kennedy.
Vice president of development for the Alzheimer's AssociationCarolyn Whipple Fraser with Marcy Eisenberg; Cynthia Murphy, PsyD, with Paul Solomon, Ph.D.
Actor Colin Gold with his mother Karen Gold, Alzheimer's activist; Betsy Baxter with Dianne Olson.
Dorsey Hydon with Gail Broyles; Joanne and Jerry Murray.
Diana Michalczuk, PsyD, with Kage Brower; Joan Nimmo, Anna Grace Nimmo, and Diane Sheridan.
Jim Renzi and Bert Gaylord with their traveling companion "Pete"; Kristina Chapell with John and Toni Yahres.
David Hyde Pierce spoke about his gangster-style adaptation of Earnest, his family's experience with Alzheimer's, and bipartisan support in Congress for Alzheimer's research, before taking questions from attendees, and joining them for a matinee performance of his show.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
